The Secret of the Castle
"What a pair of lunatics." After Mr. and Mrs. Ma left, the baby-faced man came over to Xu Huo and muttered under his breath.
Xu Huo finished breakfast without a change in expression, said, "Excuse me," and left the dining room.
He didn't hurry outside to look around. Instead, he studied the portrait of the castle's owner, He Pu, in the corridor.
The man in the portrait wore European-style clothing, but his features were close to those of an East Asian. The butler and servants in the castle were all East Asian as well, and some of the furnishings showed traces of Chinese feng shui.
The butler passed silently behind him. Xu Huo called out, "How long has Mr. He lived here?"
He had only asked casually, but the butler gave him an unexpected answer. "Five years."
Xu Huo turned and studied the expressionless butler before asking, "Is Mr. He free to meet me today?"
"I'm not sure." The butler had no intention of talking with him and soon walked off. Xu Huo had wanted to ask him to show him around the plants in the castle, but the butler declined, saying he would find a maid to guide him instead.
The other Players had already begun searching the castle, inside and out. Xu Huo crossed the spacious corridor and headed straight for the Third Floor. But just as he stepped onto the stairs, he was stopped at the first room. A stern-faced woman emerged from the room next door, holding a basket of clothes. She gave him a harsh look. "The master doesn't like outsiders entering the rooms on the Third Floor. Guests may only go around the first and second floors. Please leave the Third Floor at once."
"I told all the guests